Value of Intermediate endpoints for Treatment in outpAtient cLinic: Nurse-led multi-factorial risk counselling intervention to improve adherence to lipid lowering medication and lipid levels versus routine clinical care in patients with an increased cardiovascular risk
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN01369334 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN01369334 |
| Protocol serial number | N/A |
| Sponsor | Academic Medical Center (Netherlands) |
| Funder | Pfizer Ltd (Netherlands) |
- Submission date
- 10/10/2011
- Registration date
- 02/11/2011
- Last edited
- 21/05/2015
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Circulatory System
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Reducing high blood levels of LDL cholesterol decreases the chances of getting a heart attack and other cardiovascular events both in people who have had previous heart attacks (secondary prevention) and in people who have risk factors but have not yet had a heart attack (primary prevention). Statins are drugs that treat high blood cholesterol levels. Many studies show that statins are effective in the primary and secondary prevention of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events. People need to take their statins as prescribed and not to miss doses for the drugs to work properly. Taking drugs as prescribed and not missing doses is called adherence. Many people find it hard to be adherent with their medications all the time. The aim of this study was to investigate if a nurse counselling people about their personal cardiovascular risk factors, including their actual cholesterol levels in the blood, and their personal risk of getting a cardiovascular event would improve adherence to statins without making people anxious.
Who can participate?
People aged 18 or older who are prescribed statins for prevention of cardiovascular disease.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to receive either medical care as usual or to receive additional counselling from a nurse about their personal cardiovascular risk factors.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The possible benefit of the additional counselling is that it may improve the participants’ adherence with statin treatment and thereby lower (improve) the participants’ blood cholesterol levels. The possible risk of receiving the additional counselling is that receiving information about personal cardiovascular risk factors could make someone anxious about his or her risk of getting a cardiovascular event.
Where is the study run from?
Academic Medical Center and Slotervaart Hospital, Netherlands.
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
The study started in May 2002 and ended in May 2004.
Who is funding the study?
Pfizer, Netherlands.
Who is the main contact?
Prof. Erik Stroes
e.s.stroes@amc.uva.nl
Contact information
Scientific
Department of Vascular Medicine
Academic Medical Center
Meibergdreef 9
Amsterdam
1105 AZ
Netherlands
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Randomised non-blinded two-centre controlled trial |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Nurse-led multi-factorial risk counselling intervention to improve adherence to lipid lowering medication and lipid levels versus routine clinical care in patients with an increased cardiovascular risk: a randomised non-blinded two-centre controlled trial |
| Study acronym | VITAL |
| Study objectives | Nurse-led multi-factorial risk counselling will result in improved adherence to lipid lowering medication and lipid levels compared with routine clinical care in patients with an increased cardiovascular risk. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Medical Ethics Review Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, MECnr 01/156, approved the study on 20/03/2002 for the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, and on 27/06/2002 for the Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam. |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Cardiovascular disease |
| Intervention | Patients were randomly assigned to receive routine care or extended care at baseline and at months 3, 9 and 18. Patients in the extended care group received a personalized risk factor passport, showing modifiable and un-modifiable individual risk factors and a graphical presentation of their calculated absolute 10-year cardiovascular disease risk as well as the target risk that could be reached if all modifiable risk factors were optimally treated. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
1. Lipid levels: total cholesterol, triglycerides, higher-density-lipid cholesterol, and lower-density-lipid cholesterol |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. Carotid intima-media thickness |
| Completion date | 31/05/2004 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 200 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Indication for statin therapy 2. Age >18 years 3. Written informed consent |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Use of statin therapy > 3 months 2. Diabetus mellitus type II: fasting glucose >7,0 mmol/L 3. Fasting total cholesterol > 9,0 mmol/L 4. Fasting Triglycerides > 4,0 mmol/L 5. Liver function disturbances (ASAT/ALAT >2 times reference values) 6. Creatinine kinase (CK) elevations (>3 times reference values) 7. Drug and/or alcohol abuse 8. Pregnancy and breastfeeding 9. Life expectancy <2 years 10. Inability to fill out a Dutch questionnaire, because of problems with Dutch language |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/05/2002 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/05/2004 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Netherlands
Study participating centre
1105 AZ
Netherlands
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
